1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automatic embossing system and, more particularly, to such a system for embossing multiple lines of characters on a medium such as a common credit card and for performing such embossing and other related functions on the medium under automated control and in response to data input from an external source.
2. State of the Prior Art
Automated embossing systems have found wide acceptance in the field. Two such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 27,809 -- Drillick and U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,455 -- Hencley et al. The systems of each of these patents are, relative to that of the present invention, high speed systems of substantial size and expense. Whereas such systems are ideally suited for high volume production of credit cards, they do not necessarily meet the requirements of low volume production, at least in view of cost and size factors.
The system of U.S. Pat. No. Re. 27,809 employs linear arrays of embossing elements, one embossing module being assigned the task of embossing characters on a single, corresponding embossing line of a card. As the card is transported past each module, in succession, the characters required to be embossed on each successive line of the card are embossed as the card is presented to the appropriate punch and die pair of that module, for each position on which that character is to appear on that line. The data processing requirements therefore must sort the data to be embossed in relation to the line on the card and the module to emboss that line and, for each such line, the position of each character in the succession in which it is provided in the embossing punch and die pairs of the module relative to the locations at which that character appears on that line. A very high through-put rate of cards is achieved in this equipment.
A somewhat lower cost system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,455 with a somewhat reduced through-put rate. In this system, only a single embossing module, again with the punch and die pairs in a linear array, is employed. In this system, each card is transported past the module in a first direction parallel to the lines of character embossing to be provided on the card to successive index positions and, at each such index position, in a transverse direction such that the multiple embossing lines of each card are presented in succession to the row or array of character embossing elements for each index position in succession. Suitable sorting of the data to correlate the data to be embossed on the card with the position of the card relative to the embossing characters is performed, whereby the multiple lines of embossed characters are produced on the card during a single such path of motion of the card past the embossing elements.
In each of the above systems, plural characters may be required to be embossed simultaneously at a given card position. This is not only consistent with the desired through-put rates to be attained, but also is required by the path of motion of the card past the embossing elements. The general configuration of the equipment and particularly the fixed linear array or row of embossing elements in conjunction with the requisite capability of potential for simultaneously embossing plural characters, results in equipment of rather substantial size and weight, the latter particularly in view of mechanical strength requirements to accommodate the forces necessary for plural simultaneous embossing operations. Such characteristics, on the other hand, contribute to the high through-put rates which this prior art equipment achieves.
Heretofore in the prior art, however, the above automated embossing equipment and other such equipment as is available has not satisfied the needs of low volume users, principally due to the desire of such users to have equipment which is smaller in physical size and concommitantly lighter in weight and which correspondingly is of lower cost, such users being readily willing to accept a lower through-put rate in line with their operating requirements.